Grade Level:

Traditional Territory:

It’s the day of the first salmon ceremony, and P'ésk'a is excited to celebrate. His community, the Sts'ailes people, give thanks to the river and the salmon it brings by commemorating the first salmon of the season.

Framed as an exploration of what life was like one thousand years ago, P'ésk'a and the First Salmon Ceremony describes the customs of the Sts'ailes people, an indigenous group who have lived on the Harrison River in British Columbia for the last 10,000 years. Includes an introductory letter from Chief William Charlie, an illustrated afterword and a glossary.

This wordless picture book follows the trials of a little old lady who attempts to make pancakes for her breakfast. “The optimistic determination of the woman and the gentle humor of the illustrations make this an appealing book for the very young.”--School Library Journal

This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades K-1, Stories).

The children of the Tsimshian village of Kitkatla love to play at being hunters, eager for their turn to join the grown-ups. But when they capture and mistreat a crow, the Chief of the Heavens, angered at their disrespect, brings down a powerful storm.

The rain floods the Earth and villagers have no choice but to abandon their homes and flee to their canoes. As the seas rise, the villagers tie themselves to the top of Anchor Mountain, where they pray for days on end and promise to teach their children to value all life. The storm stops and the waters recede. From that point on, the villagers appoint a chief to perform the Peace Dance at every potlatch and, with it, pass on the story of the flood and the importance of respect.

With eighteen new illustrations from Roy Henry Vickers and exceptional narrative, Peace Dancer will delight readers of all ages and add to the collection of global flood stories.

Darrell Dennis is a stereotype-busting, politically incorrect Native American/Aboriginal/Shuswap (Only he's allowed to call himself an "Indian." Maybe. Under some circumstances). With a large dose of humour and irreverence, he untangles some of the truths and myths about First Nations: Why do people think Natives get free trucks, and why didn't he ever get one? Why does the length of your hair determine whether you’re good or bad? By what ratio does the amount of rain in a year depend on the amount of cactus liquor you consume?

In addition to answering these burning questions, Dennis tackles some tougher subjects. He looks at European-Native interactions in North America from the moment of first contact, discussing the fur trade, treaty-signing and the implementation of residential schools. Addressing misconceptions still widely believed today, Dennis explains why Native people aren't genetically any more predisposed to become alcoholics than Caucasians; that Native religion doesn't consist of worshipping rocks, disappearing into thin air, or conversing with animals; and that tax exemptions are so limited and confusing that many people don't even bother.

Employing pop culture examples, personal anecdote and a cutting wit, Darrell Dennis deftly weaves history with current events to entertain, inform and provide a convincing, readable overview of First Nations issues and why they matter today.

The Iroquois Confederacy was one of the world’s great democra­cies, serving as a model that inspired the founders of both the United States and Canada. C. J. Taylor has drawn on her Mohawk heritage and versions of the story she has gathered from elders to tell the story of the Confederacy of Five Nations (which became six after European contact) and of the heroic peace walker, Hiawatha, in powerful prose and dramatic art.

Peace Walker is the story of how peace and unity emerged from a time of chaos when the nations suffered under the brutality of Chief Atotahara – a man so evil that he drank potions from the skull of a small child.

Hiawatha’s story has been told in many versions, but none have the ring of authenticity and passion of C. J. Taylor’s remarkable book.

From a time of adventure and a place of mystery comes the larger than life legend of the Nova Scotia heroine who arrives as the lone survivor of a shipwreck. Plucked from the sea and stricken by memory loss, the girl is taken in by her rescuers and given the name of Peggy. Against the dramatic setting of the famous seafaring village, Peggy finds a new life until it becomes clear to her she must reclaim her lost identity. As dark adversaries threaten to destroy her, Peggy is forced to make a choice that could cost her the only life she knows. In a breathtakingly dangerous adventure to Scotland, Peggy unravels clues to rediscover who she is and who she wants to be.

The sacred legends of the four host First Nations, the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh, have been passed down from generation to generation through the Elders and are integral to the teachings and oral traditions of First Nations peoples. These stories link people to the land and to each other and pass on traditional knowledge and history. For the first time, these sacred teachings are collected in an anthology of stories willingly shared by the respected storytellers of each nation. These legends,which range from creation stories to naming stories,add to our knowledge of ourselves and each other.

Four maps accompany numerous photos of the lands of the Lil'Wat, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam and Squamish nations. In addition, works of art by four First Nations artists, Johnny Abraham, Glenn George, Zach George and Aaron Nelson-Moody, appear in this collection. The art, which is beautifully rendered in wood, acrylic, and oil, captures the ancestral voices of these legends and pays tribute to each nation.

A novel for readers ten and up. This is a captivating book of adventure about a teenage boy who has been sent to stay with his grandmother in the country for the summer because his parents are splitting up. At first Pete thinks country life will be boring, far from his computer and friends in the city. But that's before he hears of a hidden stash of gold, starts to make some great new friends, and ultimately discovers a new sense of maturity and self-confidence. In this adventurous but sensitive story, Luanne Armstrong draws us into a world of discovery, fun, friendship and family.

Peter Fidler and the Métis is an excellent primer on Métis history and culture for middle years readers. The book is the personal reflection of Métis artist and author Donna Lee Dumont on her direct ancestors, the Hudson’s Bay Company explorer and mapmaker Peter Fidler and his Cree wife, Mary Mackegonne. Interwoven with this self-reflection is the author’s discussion of the formation of Métis culture during the fur trade, the racism that forced many Métis to deny their heritage, and the proud place that the Métis now have as one of Canada’s founding peoples. Writing about her childhood, which consisted of many summers spent picking and eating berries and learning about Aboriginal medicinal and healing traditions from her grandmother and her elders, Donna Lee Dumont poignantly takes the reader back to a gentler, more environmentally friendly time. She concludes by writing about her pride in being a Métis artist, author, educator, mother, and grandmother. Lavishly illustrated in bright, vibrant acrylics, Peter Fidler and the Métis is one woman’s enchanting journey to document her Métis identity.

Photosynthesis is the basis for all life on Earth! This exciting and sensitive book looks at how plants use a gas that is poisonous to people and animals to create food and oxygen for all creatures with the help of the Sun. Children will be amazed by the little chloroplast factories inside the leaves of plants and become aware of how important plants really are! Children of all ages will love this book!

Topics include:
a) the basic parts of plants, including roots, stems, and leaves and their jobs
b) the ways in which plants have adapted to perform photosynthesis in deserts
c) ocean photosynthesis
d) how energy from plants is passed along food chains

Back cover book introduction:
People learn about important information and events when they read a newspaper. All the animals in Pine Forest like to read news stories. Can you predict some of the stories that the animal reporters might write for the Pine Forest News?

Back cover book introduction:
People learn about important information and events when they read a newspaper. All the animals in Pine Forest like to read news stories. Can you predict some of the stories that the animal reporters might write for the Pine Forest News?

Back cover book introduction:
One moonlit night, the animals of Pine Forest Pond were singing. Owl noticed that the youngest member of each family was sad. They were having trouble making all the sounds in the song.
Do you think Owl can help his young friends?
How do you feel when you try something that is difficult?

Back cover book introduction:
One moonlit night, the animals of Pine Forest Pond were singing. Owl noticed that the youngest member of each family was sad. They were having trouble making all the sounds in the song.
Do you think Owl can help his young friends?
How do you feel when you try something that is difficult?